UC Davis researchers help identify genetic anomaly

An international team of researchers say they have identified two areas of the human genome associated with the premature closure of the bony plates of an infant's skull.

"We have discovered two genetic factors that are strongly associated with the most common form of premature closure of the skull," said Simeon Boyadjiev, a professor of pediatrics and genetics who is a researcher affiliated with the UC Davis MIND Institute.

Boyadjiev said the research findings could lead to potential treatments.

"These findings may one day lead to prenatal screening and diagnostic tests for this condition or early interventions to prevent it," he said.

If the bones fuse too early, a child will develop an abnormally shaped head.

Left untreated, the disorder causes complications due to brain compression, such as neurologic and visual problems and learning disabilities.

Hillary Clinton's office said "nothing nefarious was at play" when the former secretary of state used her personal email address, rather than one provided by the State Department, during her four years as America's top diplomat.